Once Upon a Time in Harmony
by TDWidow
Summary: The Scooby Gang stumbles upon the small, closeknit New England town of Harmony. It isn't long before they meet three people a lot like themselves and discover that Harmony is a lot more like Sunnydale than they thought. Passions xover. COMPLETE
1. Chapter One: Maine Roads

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** Welcome to yet my newest BtVS crossover. I was going to wait until I finished posting something else to post this, but decided not to. Anyway, there are a couple things I have to explain before this fic gets underway.

One, for any of you not familiar with New England, "Downeast" is the triangular eastern area of the state of Maine. If the gang left the border of New Hampshire and Massachusetts four hours before this takes place, then it would place them right in Downeast. Trust me.

Two, yes "Passions" does exist as a television show in the Buffyverse, but it's so much fun to play with mixing characters that I'm choosing to ignore the above fact.

Three, Xander mentioned in "Chosen" that he has to retake a driving test every year due to his eye patch. I know he wouldn't be taken to the police station for driving with only one eye, but I thought it was an interesting jump start to the story.

Finally, this story contains **spoilers** for "Chosen" in Buffy, but if you haven't seen "Chosen" by now, then why are you reading Buffy fiction?

**DISCLAIMER **Don't own them! I wish I did, but I don't. Sigh.

…

She was getting close.

"Stop here!" Willow Rosenberg commanded the driver of the car.

Her best friend since birth, Xander Harris, complied. "Will, where are we?" he asked.

"Shh!" Willow put a finger to her lips as she got out of the car. She knelt down and laid a hand on the pine needle carpeted ground. Tall evergreens rose up on either side of the deserted road. Xander shuddered. He didn't like areas so devoid of humans.

Willow stood up after only a moment. "We're almost there." She got back into the car. "Keep going straight."

Xander nodded. He craned his neck for a second, glancing in the backseat. "Buffy's still asleep."

"Mmm," Willow agreed. "She was up all night patrolling. I guess they have vampires in New England too."

They drove in silence for another hour. Every once and a while, they passed through a small harbor hamlet, full of bustling people. It was just the three of them – the original three. When Willow had said that she'd sensed a strong magical presence in the remote parts of Downeast Maine, Xander and Buffy hadn't let her leave without them. Dawn had been sent to live in England as a graduation present. She'd finally graduated high school in Italy and had begged to visit Giles. It became the perfect situation when Willow had set out on her journey.

It was only after they'd left Europe and arrived back in the United States that Willow realized how much she'd missed her two best friends. She and Kennedy had traveled to Rome from Rio to meet Buffy and to leave Kennedy in charge of the active Slayers in Europe. Faith still commanded those Slayers in the US, based on the Hellmouth in Cleveland. Buffy had mentioned trying to contact her while they were in the States, but so far that hadn't happened.

Whatever the circumstances, Willow, Buffy, and Xander were enjoying their trip together. They were the core group. That had never changed.

Xander gripped the wheel tighter than he normally did. "Xander? Are you okay?" Willow asked.

"Yeah. It's just, I'm not used to driving with this ice and snow and stuff." He cracked a grin. "You know, the whole growing up in Southern California thing."

Willow laughed. "I hear you. It's cold up here!"

Xander swore as he hit a frost heave and the car bounced violently. In the backseat, Buffy sat straight up. "What happened?"

"Sorry, Buff," Xander apologized.

Buffy yawned. "It's okay." She stretched. "How long have I been asleep? Where are we?"

"We're somewhere downeast," Willow said. "You've been asleep for almost four hours."

Sighing, Buffy tried to get comfortable in the back. "How long ago did we leave the hotel?"

Willow laughed. "About four hours ago. You fell asleep almost as soon as we crossed over into New Hampshire."

"Oh." Buffy glanced out the window. She whistled. "Not too much up here, is there?" Willow shook her head. "Do you know where we're going?" Buffy asked her.

With a sigh, Willow shook her head again. "Not exactly. But I know we're getting closer."

"For which I think I can safely say, we are all glad for," Xander added.

Willow nodded emphatically. "I'm done with the car."

The pines gradually gave way to snow-covered fields. In the distance, the three could see the ocean to the right. "The ocean's on the wrong side," Buffy remarked.

Softly, Xander began humming "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch." Willow and Buffy stared at him. "What?" he asked. "It was on TV last night at the hotel. I love that movie!"

Willow pouted. "I thought _A Charlie Brown Christmas_ was our Christmas movie!"

"Aw, come on, Will. You know I love Charlie Brown way more than I'll ever love the Grinch!" Xander grinned. "I'll say one thing for Maine, though. It is pretty cool to see real live snow during for the Holidays."

Buffy smirked. "I'm pretty sure that snow isn't alive, Xand."

"Ha ha," Xander said. The girls just laughed at him.

The mood was broken by Willow's sharp cry of "Pull over!" Xander immediately yanked the wheel hard over, thus nearly driving them into a tree. Willow got out of the car while Buffy and Xander tried to clear their spinning heads. She was only gone for a second before sirens began wailing only a little bit behind them. Xander sighed and smacked the wheel in irritation as a police cruiser parked behind them.

"Will, get back in the car!" he called impatiently. Reluctantly, the witch complied.

An older, but still handsome police officer approached the driver's side. "You guys alright?" he asked. "I heard the tires squeal from a ways away."

Xander nodded and handed his license and registration out the window, all the while trying to hide his face. It didn't work.

The cop's face turned sour when he saw the black eye patch. "Son, why are you wearing that patch?" he asked.

Xander sighed. "Why do you think? It makes me look cool?"

"Are you handicapped?"

"If you're asking do I only have one eye, then yeah. I suppose I am handicapped," he bit back.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you continue to operate that vehicle. It isn't safe."

Willow was not pleased. "What do you mean, not safe? Just because Xander lost his eye fighting – "

"Uh," Buffy broke in. "Fighting…gorillas! Gorillas and monkeys in the zoo. You know, those things can be vicious." She gave Willow a look.

The cop just shook his head. "Losing an eye severely damages depth perception. I'm going to have to ask one of your friends to drive the rest of the way."

Buffy and Willow looked at each other. "Uh…" Buffy said. "That may be a problem."

"And why is that, exactly?"

"Neither of us knows how to drive," Willow said.

The officer sighed and closed his eyes, seemingly trying to compose himself. "I'm bringing you in to the station. Drive very carefully. I'll be following you."

He gave Xander his license, registration, and a hard look before returning to his cruiser. Xander sighed angrily. Just before he rolled up his window, the group softly heard the police officer radioing in the call. "Harmony Station, this is Chief Bennett. I have a traffic violation, code 2-2-4-0. I'm bringing him in."


	2. Chapter Two: Harmony Police Station

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** This story takes place on Christmas Eve 2004 in Harmony. The following things have not yet been revealed to the Passions characters or have not yet happened:

a) The mother of Ethan's baby

b) Sheridan and Luis's tragic wedding

c) Mrs. Wheeler is really Katherine Crane

d) Gwen arrested

e) Theresa being paralyzed

f) Gwen kidnapping the baby

g) Little Ethan being returned to Theresa

And everything else since before the wedding, but those are the important things to this story.

**DISCLAIMER** Don't own anyone.

Thank you to those who reviewed!

…

Sam Bennett led the three into Harmony Station. He motioned to a set of chairs. "Sit down."

They did so. The guy dropped his head into his hands. "I'm so screwed," Sam heard him mumble.

With a chuckle, Sam headed toward the officer on duty. "What's with the kids, Chief?" he asked.

"Reckless endangerment," Sam replied. "Operating a vehicle under unsafe conditions."

The officer whistled. "What conditions were those?"

The boy looked up and the officer noticed the eye patch. "I only have one eye," he spit out. "Apparently that makes it dangerous to drive."

Sam turned back to them. "I'll need your names."

The redhead spoke up. "All of our names?"

Sam nodded. "You're all here. It's nothing big, just for our records." He pointed to the boy. "Starting with you."

He sighed. "Alexander Harris."

The officer typed his name into the computer. After a moment, he said to Sam, "All clear."

Sam turned his attention to the redhead. "Willow Rosenberg," she said blandly. Again, the name was put into the computer and given a verdict of all clear.

The blonde girl began to look distinctly uncomfortable when Sam turned his attention to her. "And your name?" he asked after a moment.

"Buffy Summers," she said finally.

The officer at the computer's eyes widened when he read the information returned at her name. "Uh, Sam?"

Sam cast a suspicious glance at the girl before leaning over the officer's shoulder to read the screen. His eyes widened and he looked back at Buffy. He walked up close to her. Buffy shifted nervously. "Do you have any idea what we might have found on that computer over there?" he asked sternly.

Buffy shrugged. "Vampires are taking over the world?"

Alexander stifled a laugh. Willow smacked him. Sam was not impressed.

"Are you aware that there is an outstanding warrant for your arrest?" he asked. "For – "

"For murder," Buffy interrupted. "Of a teenage girl found in Sunnydale High School." She stared coldly at Sam. "Yeah, I know." She folded her arms over her chest and leaned back. "Although I'd check the date on that warrant if I were you."

Sam was suspicious, but he turned back to the officer on duty. "Well? When's the warrant from?"

"May of 1998."

"What?" Sam asked, incredulous. "How can it possibly be that old?" He turned back to Buffy. "How have you not been arrested yet? It's been over six years!"

"My good looks?" Buffy shot back smugly.

"Buffy, stop," Willow said sharply. She turned to Sam. "First, Buffy didn't kill Kendra. The case was closed and I guess they just never removed the record of her warrant."

Sam narrowed his eyes. "And second?"

"And second Sunnydale doesn't even exist anymore," Alexander said. He smirked. "There was…an accident."

"An accident," Sam repeated. "And what kind of accident would that have been, Alexander?"

The boy cringed. "Please, call me Xander. I don't care if you are trying to arrest me. I can't stand people calling me 'Alexander.'"

"Fine, Xander. Where were you kids headed, anyway? Sunnydale is in California. What are you doing in Maine?"

It was Willow who answered. "We were headed here."

Buffy and Xander looked strangely at their friend, but Willow took no notice of them. She kept her eyes on Sam. "Do you know of any place we can stay?"

Uncomfortable with this turn of events, Sam didn't answer right away. Willow locked eyes with him. He heard himself saying, "I run a bed and breakfast. You are your friends are welcome to stay here."

Smiling brightly, Willow replied, "Thanks."

Another officer rounded the corner. "I have those records you asked for of the people at the mansion, Sam," he said. He stopped short when he saw the three detainees. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Oh Luis, hey." Sam took the file Luis was holding and gestured behind him. "This is Willow Rosenberg, Xander Harris, and Buffy Summers. They're, uh, guests in Harmony for the time being." Turning his attention once again, Sam put a hand on Luis's shoulder. "This is Detective Lopez-Fitzgerald."

"Pleasure," Willow replied coolly.

Buffy cocked her head. "What's with the file?" she asked.

"Official police business," Sam said shortly. "We're investigating an attempted murder."

An odd look crossed Buffy's face and her voice was filled with urgency. "What kind of murder?"

Sam was thrown. "Excuse me?"

"What kind of murder?" Buffy asked. "He wasn't bitten, was he?"

"No," Sam answered slowly. "He was poisoned."

"Oh." Buffy relaxed and leaned back in her chair. "Okay then."

Sam looked at her curiously for another minute before turning back to Luis. "Detective Lopez-Fitzgerald will be escorting you to the bed and breakfast."

"What?" The Detective did not look happy at his assignment. "Sam, I'm supposed to meet Sheridan at the park."

Sam glared at Luis. "Luis, you've had your job back for less than five hours. This is an order."

Luis got the point. "Right. Let's go," he said, beckoning Willow and the others.

Xander glanced at Sam. "But what about my car?"

"Did you not understand why you were brought in here? You can't drive. It's unsafe for you to drive in that condition."

Xander stood up angrily. He looked about to spit out a retort, but instead just muttered under his breath, "Caleb's gift just keeps on giving." Sam didn't understand what he meant, but he noticed a meaningfully sympathetic glance from Willow and a downcast look of shame from Buffy. He decided some questions were better left unasked.

Luis was at the door. "Hurry up, you three. I have somewhere I have to be."

"Well aren't you pushy?" Buffy asked. Luis glared at her before ushering them out of the police station and into his car.


	3. Chapter Three: Bennett Bed and Breakfast

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** Thanks to those of you who reviewed! One thing – I think in the show, the Bennett's Bed and Breakfast isn't actually attached to their house. In this story, the two buildings are attached, just fyi.

**DISCLAIMER** I don't own Harmony or Sunnydale's residents.

…

Luis dropped them off at the bed and breakfast before taking off again. Buffy, Willow, and Xander were met by a blonde woman, her voice tinged with a sharpness that had never really faded. "Can I help you?"

"Chief Bennett sent us here," Xander explained. "Said we could stay here for a few days?"

The woman brightened. "Sam sent you? Come in then!" She ushered them into the house. "I'm Ivy Winthrop. I don't really run this place, but if there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask."

"Are there any other guests staying here?" Willow asked, her expression very serious.

Ivy looked taken aback by the question. "Uh, yes actually. Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler are here right now." She paused. "Well actually, I guess it's not Mr. Wheeler, it's Martin Fitzgerald."

"Are they in?" Willow interrupted.

Instantly suspicious of the witch, Ivy arched her eyebrows and replied, "No. They're over skating at the park with Paloma as far as I know."

Willow only nodded and wandered toward the stairs. Ivy led Buffy and Xander up the stairs to two adjoining rooms. "You can have these two rooms for the time being. I assume the two girls can share?"

Buffy and Willow nodded, although Willow wasn't paying much attention. She was busy gazing around the house in a daze. Ivy pulled Buffy aside. "Is your friend okay?"

"Oh yeah," Buffy replied. "She gets like this sometimes, but she's fine."

Ivy glanced doubtfully at Willow before nodding and returning to the main level of the house. Buffy pulled Willow and Xander into the girls' bedroom. "Okay Will, what's going on?"

"This is it, Buffy. This is the house," Willow answered.

"Wait," Xander said. "This is the place you sensed? This is the place we've been looking for?"

Willow looked unsure when she nodded. "Although, it doesn't feel right. The energy I sensed isn't…here anymore. Or at least, it doesn't live here."

"You think it might be one of the Wheelers that Ivy mentioned?" Xander asked.

"Maybe," Willow said. "I won't know until I meet them." She blinked and tossed her head as if to clear it. "Things feel strange here."

Buffy put a hand on Willow's back. "Do you want to go to the park to look for them?" she asked.

Willow nodded and together the group headed back down the stairs. They found Ivy in the living room. "Ivy," Buffy said.

The older blonde turned. "Yes?"

"You said that the Wheelers were at the park. We thought we'd like to get to know our neighbors a little bit better," Buffy said smoothly. "How far away is the park?"

"Like, can we walk there?" Xander clarified.

Ivy laughed. "No, I'm afraid not. Not much is within walking distance here. I can drive you, if you like. My son and daughter-in-law were supposed to be there soon. They're taking their son to see Santa Claus."

"Aw, that's nice," Xander said. "You have a Santa Claus at the park?"

Ivy looked slightly put out at Xander's condescension. "Yes. It's nice for the children." She stood up and grabbed her coat and keys. "If you're ready, we can go now."

"Sure," Willow replied. She, Buffy, and Xander ran upstairs to grab their coats and returned shortly. "Let's go."

Ivy led them out the front door toward her car. Willow, however, balked when they reached the driveway. "Will?" Buffy asked.

Ivy looked suspiciously again at the witch. "Are you sure that she's okay?" she asked Xander. Xander did not reply.

Willow was staring intently at the house next door to the bed and breakfast. "Who lives there?" she asked.

"Oh," Ivy said, rolling her eyes dramatically. "Just Sam's crazy old neighbor Tabitha."

"Tabitha?" Willow repeated.

"Tabitha Lenox," Ivy said, nodding. She waved a hand dismissively. "If you ever see her or anything, just ignore her. She's eccentric."

"Oh," Willow replied absently. She followed Buffy and Xander obediently to the car. Once they had all climbed in, Ivy sighed and opened the driver's side door. She did not have the energy to deal with these people. Not this Christmas.

The park was much busier than they had expected. Buffy looked around skeptically. "What are all these people doing here?" she asked.

Ivy laughed shortly. "Well it is Christmas Eve, after all."

Xander looked surprised. "You're kidding." He looked at Willow. "Did you know it was Christmas Eve?"

Willow just looked back at her best friend. "Jewish, remember?"

"Oh right. I keep thinking that you've converted to Wic – " Xander cut off abruptly at Willow's sharp glare. Ivy watched them curiously, but decided to leave it alone. "I mean, yeah. Jewish. Of course."

Buffy had wandered away from Willow, Xander, and Ivy and was standing at the edge of the skating pond. Her eyes had a far-off look in them as she gazed at the people of the town happily skating around in circles. Willow noticed and walked up quietly beside her. "Are you okay?"

"Mmhmm," Buffy said softly. "I haven't seen people skating outside in a long time." She smiled. "I haven't seen people skating anywhere in a long time."

"When was the last time you went skating?" Willow asked.

Buffy laughed ruefully. "I don't remember."

"Well, come on." Willow grabbed Buffy's hand and pulled her toward the small building beside the pond. "Let's go rent some skates."


	4. Chapter Four: Harmony Park

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** Okay. So I am a HUGE Theresa fan and she should be with Ethan…I don't care if she's done some questionable stuff in the past – Gwen is no angel either, regardless of what anyone says. Ethan should be with Theresa.

Now that my rant is out of the way, I just want to mention that the whole drunk Santa thing with Theresa taking his place to see Little Ethan did happen in canon.

**DISCLAIMER** Don't own them…sigh

…

Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald patted the drunk ex-Santa on the head. "Now you rest now, okay?" she said. He nodded and smiled as he leaned against the warm wall of the small snack building wrapped in a coat. Theresa smiled. "Good."

She adjusted the white Santa Claus beard and took a deep breath before walking out toward Santa's chair. Just as she turned the corner, a small blonde woman walking with a redhead bumped into her. "Oh, I'm sorry!" the blonde replied.

"It's okay," Theresa replied automatically. When she realized that she'd given herself away already, she quickly excused herself and rushed for the chair. The blonde and the redhead watched her go, confused, before continuing toward the building.

Heaving a deep breath, Theresa was only able to relax for a moment before she saw Ethan and Gwen lead her son into the park. Her heart sped up as they pushed Little Ethan toward her and he happily climbed into her lap.

Her son really was a handsome little boy. Theresa fell more in love with him every time she looked at him. When he was born, she felt that she couldn't love him any more than she did. But every day kept surprising her as she learned more and more the love of a mother for her child.

Across the pond, Buffy and Willow had gotten their skates and had sat down to put them on when Xander reached them. "Have you found the Wheelers yet, Will?"

"No," she replied. "But this town is not quite right. They have a female Santa Claus over there. Now I might not celebrate Christmas, but even I know that Santa is a guy."

Xander looked to where Willow pointed and saw a quite attractive Santa with a little boy on her lap. "Huh," he mused. "You're right. That's interesting. I wonder what's up with that?"

Willow and Buffy shrugged. "You want to skate?" Buffy asked.

"Nah." Xander's attention remained on Santa. "I think I'm going to go find out what's up with that." The girls just smirked and were off on the ice.

Ethan watched his adopted son sitting on "Santa's" lap fondly. He sent Gwen on her way to get hot chocolate to avoid her discovering Theresa's disguise. He didn't see the young man approaching him. "Hey," he said.

Ethan turned his attention to the strange-looking man with a black eye patch. "Can I help you?"

"I was just wondering why you have a girl playing Santa," he said. "Seems a little strange."

"Be quiet!" Ethan hissed, as he grabbed the man's arm and pulled him to the side. "Do you want everyone to hear you?"

The man looked around. "I'm sorry, I didn't know it was a federal secret," he replied sarcastically.

Ethan let go of the man's arm, rubbed his temples, and sighed. "No, I'm sorry. It's just that, well, you stumbled into a pretty complicated situation."

He laughed. "I see. I guarantee that I've seen worse."

Ethan looked back at him. "You wanna bet?"

The man held out his hand. "Xander Harris. I'm not really a betting man."

Ethan grinned and held out his own hand. "Ethan Winthrop."

Xander shook his hand. "Nice to meet you. About your complicated situation, you don't look too stressed about it."

Laughing ruefully, Ethan shook his head. "I'm trying not to think about it. But to answer your question, Theresa's playing Santa because she's trying to see her son."

"Huh." Xander looked back at Theresa/Santa. "She's dressing up as Santa so that she can see her son? Who's her son?"

"That little boy on her lap."

Looking back at Ethan, Xander asked, "But I thought he came in with you and your…"

"Wife," Ethan supplied. "Yeah, he's our son."

"But you just said that he was Theresa's son."

"He is."

Xander blinked and cocked his head. "Huh?"

Ethan sighed. "Little Ethan is Theresa's son. He was taken away from her and Gwen and I adopted him. Gwen won't let Theresa see him, so she has to sneak around in order to spend time with him."

"That's horrible!" Xander said. "Why not let the woman see her own son?"

Ethan paused, considering his words before answering. "Gwen and Theresa, uh, don't really get along very well."

"Oh." Xander did not ask anything else. He watched Ethan watch Theresa and Little Ethan affectionately. "Uh, if your wife doesn't want Theresa to see her son, why aren't you putting a stop to this?"

Ethan looked sharply at him. With another look back at Theresa, he just said, "That's the complicated part."

"Oh," Xander said knowingly. "I see."

Ethan bristled slightly. "It's not like I don't love Gwen, okay? I know what you're thinking. I do not have any feelings for Theresa anymore. That's over. I love Gwen. And when the DNA results come back, we can take our daughter home and Gwen can have the baby that she's always wanted. And we'll be the family that she's always wanted."

Xander listened to Ethan's rant silently. He suppressed the smile that had been playing on his lips when Ethan finally realized what he was saying and looked at Xander a little guiltily. Xander stayed silent, just put up his hands and turned to leave. "I'll see you around," he called.

Ethan hung his head, thoroughly embarrassed. He couldn't believe that he had just spilled all of that to a total stranger. And one wearing an eye patch no less!

His self-scolding was cut short when Little Ethan ran up to him. "Dad!" he called.

"Hey there!" Ethan said, picking his son up. "Did you talk to Santa?"

"Uh-huh."

"Did you tell him what you want for Christmas?" Little Ethan nodded. "Good. Let's go find your mom and go home, okay?"

The child nodded, but turned back to glance at Theresa one last time before they left. Ethan noticed and caught Theresa's loving look of goodbye to her son. His heart twisted as it did every time that he saw how much Theresa missed her son. He would give Little Ethan back in a second if it meant Theresa and the child would be happy and Gwen would allow it.

Speaking of Gwen, he had to find her. She'd be missing her son too. Somehow, that didn't feel nearly as urgent.

…

**Sneak Peek at the Next Chapter**

_Buffy was so deep in her thoughts that she didn't realize that she was about to skate right into Detective Lopez-Fitzgerald._


	5. Chapter Five: Skating Pond

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** Thanks to people who reviewed! I heart reviews, hehe. This story is only about 10 chapters long, so it's almost half over already.

**DISCLAIMER** Don't own them. James E. Reilly and Joss Whedon do.

…

Theresa watched sadly as Ethan and Gwen led her son from the park. She'd seem him again at Mass, she told herself. She scanned the crowd to make sure no one saw her as she ducked back behind the snack building to return the drunk Santa's costume to him. Off on the other side of the park, she saw Luis and Sheridan skating together and smiled.

Luis and Sheridan were having a great time, laughing together as they skated clumsily around the pond. "I don't know why this is so difficult!" Sheridan said breathlessly. "I'm usually better at skating than this!"

Luis shrugged and hugged Sheridan to him. She burrowed into his embrace happily. Across the pond, she saw a young woman figure skating. Sheridan frowned, for she didn't recognize her. She whistled as the girl landed a double axle perfectly. Luis looked down at her. "What?"

"Oh, I'm just watching that girl skate. She's good. I haven't seen her in Harmony before. Do you know who she is?"

Luis's voice turned hard. "Yeah, I know who she is. She's staying at the B&B."

Sheridan pulled away and looked at Luis, confused. "Don't sound so upset, Luis. What's wrong?"

"She's got a warrant out for her arrest!"

Sheridan looked wide-eyed at the other woman. "Her? What'd she do? Why doesn't Sam arrest her?"

Luis sighed. "He can't. The warrant is over five years old. It was for murder, but Sam can't get in touch with the authorities where the warrant was issued, so he can't technically do anything about it. But don't you worry. I'm watching her."

Sheridan knew she was safe in Luis's arms, but she couldn't help feeling nervous. "Okay."

Buffy knew that the detective and his girlfriend were watching her, but she didn't care. She was just happy to be back on the ice. She remembered skating once with Angel, before they were interrupted by one of the Order of Taraka that Spike sent after them. She remembered many things with Angel but they only pained her. Angel was gone. Or, he might as well have been. She knew that the Senior Partners were after him and she knew that they wouldn't stop hunting him until he was dead. She knew that she, or anyone else, would never be able to find him.

Buffy was so deep in her thoughts that she didn't realize that she was about to skate right into Detective Lopez-Fitzgerald. "Watch where you're going!" he cried angrily at Buffy after he pulled his blonde companion to her feet.

Raising an eyebrow coldly, Buffy replied, "I'm fine, thanks, are you okay?"

The other blonde put a hand on Buffy's arm. "I'm sorry. Are you alright?"

"Sheridan!" Lopez-Fitzgerald hissed.

Sheridan turned on him. "Luis, it's okay." Turning back to Buffy, she asked, "You sure you're okay?"

"Oh yeah." Buffy waved a hand. "I've been through worse. It's no big."

"Alright, fine. Sheridan, let's go!" Luis said sharply. He led Sheridan off with a withering glance back at Buffy. Sheridan looked apologetic as she skated away.

Within moments, Willow was at Buffy's side. "I saw you fall, are you okay?"

"Yeah," Buffy grumbled, still watching Luis and Sheridan. "I'm fine."

Willow followed Buffy's gaze. "What was that all about?"

"Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald doesn't seem to like me much," she explained, slightly bitterly. "I think it was the whole wanted for murder thing."

Incensed, Willow cried, "But that was so long ago! Buffy, you've got to do something about that warrant or it's going to haunt you for the rest of your life. You didn't kill Kendra!"

Buffy sighed. "I know. But it's not like I walk into the Sunnydale Police Department and explain anymore than I could convince them that a vampire killed Kendra."

Willow put a sympathetic hand on Buffy's shoulder. "I'm sorry Buffy."

"It's okay. You know, after it happened, Angel was dead, I ran away, then Angel was back and then there was Faith and the Mayor…I suppose that I forgot it was even out there." Buffy smiled. "Oh well."

Willow glanced at her watch. "We should probably get going soon. It's getting late."

"Okay." Buffy gave her best friend puppy-dog eyes. "But just a few more minutes? Please?"

Willow had to laugh. "Okay."

She was about to skate off when Buffy called to her. "Did you find the Wheelers yet?"

Glancing around, Willow shook her head. "But it doesn't matter. They aren't the ones we're looking for. I don't feel that energy here at the park."

Buffy shrugged. "Okay."

Just as Willow left her alone, Buffy was surprised to see the detective's blonde friend Sheridan skate up beside her. "Hey."

"Uh, hi." Buffy peered over Sheridan's shoulder. "Where's your knight in shining armor? Won't he be upset that you're here?"

"Who, Luis?" Sheridan shook her head. "He's over getting hot chocolate." She shrugged. "I just wanted to apologize about before. Luis just has a lot on his mind and frankly he's a little freaked out about you being a convicted murderer and all."

Buffy's eyes flashed. "I am not a convicted murderer! Okay, yes there was a warrant, but Kendra was my friend. I would never have hurt her. And, there were extenuating circumstances at the time."

Sheridan waited for Buffy to continue. Finally, she asked, "Like what?"

With a wry laugh, Buffy answered, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Sheridan laughed with her. "You'd be surprised." She held out her hand. "I'm Sheridan Crane, by the way."

Buffy smiled and shook her hand. "Buffy Summers."

Across the pond, not far from where Luis was ordering two cups of hot chocolate, Willow watched Buffy and Sheridan talking from behind a tree. She'd already returned her skates and disappeared into the dark woods behind her.

…

**Sneak Peek at the Next Chapter**

_Tabitha's grin grew even wider. "Willow, yes of course. I've heard good things about you."_


	6. Chapter Six: Tabitha's House

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** This chapter is dedicated to Timmy ..sniff.. Ever after three years and the ADORABLE Endora, I still miss him.

**DISCLAIMER** I don't own Passions or Buffy characters…if I did, then I would get paid for writing these things, lol

…

She found her way back to the Bennett's Bed and Breakfast easily, although her luminous spell did little to drive away the shadows of the thick forest that rose on all sides of her. But the witch wasn't scared as she slipped through the night back toward the house that had drawn her so strongly.

The lights in the house of Sam's neighbor glowed brightly, casting bright patches of rectangular light on the snowy ground. Willow screwed up her courage and walked up to the front door.

She was surprised to hear a baby's cry in response to the doorbell. Faintly, she heard a second wailing join the first. _Uh-oh_, she thought. _I hope I'm not interrupting some family_. The crying was shushed by a soothing old voice. Willow just could just barely make out her words. "Hush, Endora! Mummy won't let anyone hurt you tonight."

There was a shuffle and a moment before the door opened. Willow was shocked, to say the least, to see a young woman with long brown hair open the door. "Hello. Can I help you?"

Willow cocked her head. "Uh, yeah. I'm, uh, um – "

The girl watched her expectantly. Suddenly, an older woman with a thick mass of curly hair replaced her in the doorway. "Hello there dear. Can I help you?"

Willow stared intently into the old eyes. "Tabitha Lenox?"

Tabitha smiled. "Yes. I'm sorry, you are who, my dear?"

"Willow Rosenberg."

Tabitha's grin grew even wider. "Willow, yes of course. I've heard good things about you."

The brunette looked from Tabitha to Willow and back. "Tabs? What's going on?"

Tabitha looked back at the girl. "Oh! Kay, this is Willow. I've been expecting her."

Kay held out her hand suspiciously. "Kay Bennett."

"Bennett?" Willow asked. "Are you related to Chief Bennett?"

Kay rolled her eyes. "Yeah, he's my dad. But I live here now."

"Oh." Willow peered into the house. "Uh, may I come in?"

"Of course, of course!" Tabitha ushered Willow inside to the living room where she saw two little girls playing in a playpen. Tabitha scooped up the older of the two and hugged her. "You see, Endora? Nothing to be afraid of!" She brought the child to Willow. "This is Willow, my little witchling."

Kay's eyes opened wide. "Tabitha! So much for keeping a secret around here!"

Tabitha just smiled. "No need to keep my precious Endora's secret from our friend. You see, Willow here is a witch too, am I right dear?"

Willow could only nod. The child in Tabitha's arms had more power than anyone she'd ever come across, save herself when she was dark.

Kay looked uncomfortable. "Oh." She picked up the younger girl and cradled her in her arms.

"Who's that?" Willow asked.

"This is my daughter Maria." Kay nuzzled the little girl.

"Aren't you a little young to be a mother?" Willow asked. Looking at Tabitha, she added silently, _And aren't you a little old?_

Kay looked slightly offended. "When two people are really in love, age doesn't matter."

"Fair enough. Who's her father?"

Blushing, Kay put Maria back in the playpen and sat on the couch. "He's, uh, out of town for awhile."

Tabitha chuckled. "I think I'll go put Endora down for the night. Do get acquainted, girls. Willow dear, don't go away, we have a lot to talk about!" She took her daughter upstairs, leaving Kay and Willow alone.

"So where did he go?" Willow asked quietly after a moment. "Maria's father?"

Kay looked ashamed as she answered, "He left town after Charity – my cousin. He was in love with her."

Willow looked back at Maria. "But Maria is his daughter with you."

Kay turned away from Willow. "Yeah. I, uh, had a bad patch."

To Kay's surprise, Willow laughed. "I know what you mean."

"How could you possibly know?" Kay demanded a little harshly.

"Oh, I uh, I don't know exactly, I just know what it's like to have things you'd rather forget," Willow stammered.

Kay visibly relaxed. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone, you know. I just loved Miguel so much." Tears filled Willow's eyes. Kay looked upset. "Oh God, I didn't mean to upset you! I'm sorry."

"No, no, it's fine. I just remember what that's like. To love someone that much?"

The two girls were quiet. Finally, Kay spoke. "I tricked him into bed with me. I used Charity's essence and he thought he was sleeping with her. He never loved me. I begged him to stay here with Maria and me, but he left me for Charity." Kay sighed. "I guess it's my punishment for all the horrible things I did to her."

"Like what?"

Kay even laughed dryly. "I left her die on railroad tracks, dumped fish guts on her at the prom, trapped her in a block of ice, and then created a zombie of her to break up with Miguel. I turned into a dog and tried to kill her."

"Are you a witch too?"

Kay shifted nervously. "No, not exactly. I sold my soul to a witch once, so that Charity would be sent to Hell. I created the zombie and stuff from a book of spells that Tabitha had." She was quiet and got up from the couch. "You've never done anything like that, I bet."

She watched as Willow looked down in her lap. "I almost destroyed the world."

Kay felt her jaw drop. "You what?"

Willow locked eyes with her. "I almost destroyed the world. Magic is an addiction. I couldn't stop doing spells and eventually my girlfriend left me because of it." Willow's voice broke. "I loved her so much, Kay. Possibly even more than you love Miguel. When she was killed, I lost my mind in dark magic. I tortured and murdered the man who killed her. When my friends tried to stop me, I tried to kill them too. I decided that humanity felt too much pain and the only way to stop it was to destroy everything."

"Oh my God," Kay whispered. "What happened? I mean, why aren't we all dead?"

"That's the big question, isn't it Endora?" Tabitha whispered to her daughter from where they hid on the staircase. "Why didn't our little California girl destroy everything?" Endora just smiled and giggled.

"I was reminded that there is still love in the world," Willow answered with a small smile.

Tabitha scoffed. "Oh please."

Kay sat back down on the couch. "Wow. So I guess you kind of do understand, don't you?"

Willow nodded. "Yeah, I do."

"Sometimes I wish there was a way to make up for everything," Kay admitted. "I did some really horrible things, but my intentions were good!"

"They always are."

Up on the stairs, Tabitha smirked. "Kay won't be able to atone for the things she did any more than Willow can bring her dead girlfriend back to life." She sobered. "Any more than I can bring back my dear Timmy." Endora put her chubby hand on Tabitha's face and Tabitha smiled. "Yes, thank you darling. I do love you." She put her forehead against her daughter's. "But now it really is time for all little witchlets to go to bed!" Endora pouted, but Tabitha wasn't swayed as she carried the child up the stairs.

Back in the living room, Kay's eyes had hardened. "I would do it all over again if I had to!" She pouted. "Of course, now I can't ever have any more children and it's all Charity's fault. You know, she took my family away from me, my home, and my man. But I have Maria and she reminds me every day that Miguel made love to me. I know he'll come back to me."

Willow sighed. "And I know that when I came back to myself and realized everything that I'd done, I wanted to die. Look, Kay, I know that the things you did weren't nearly as bad as the things I did, but just be aware that magic is a lot more powerful than you are. It can take over and make you it's bitch, to be perfectly frank."

Kay had to laugh at that. "Well I'll be careful."

Standing up, Willow said, "You better. Uh, tell Tabitha that I'm sorry. Maybe I'll stop by again before I leave." She turned back just before opening the front door. "Uh, quick question. This may sound strange, but Charity didn't by any chance have special powers or anything, did she?"

Kay rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Mom used to go on and on about how all the Standish women had these powers of light or something like that. Timmy had it too, I think."

"Who?"  
Kay looked ashamed. "Timmy. He was Tabitha's…" Her voice trailed off. "Okay, he was Tabitha's doll."

She was surprised to see Willow shudder. "A living doll?"

"Yeah. Bad experience?"

Willow laughed softly. "I used to think they were cute. Uh, not _living_ dolls I mean, just regular ones. It was a ventriloquist dummy. He was actually a demon hunter trapped in the doll's body and we helped him kill the demon he was after. It was a long time ago, when I was pretty new to the whole slaying demons thing and it freaked me out."

"Oh. Well, Timmy eventually was turned into a real boy, but when my zombie tried to kill the real Charity, he was caught in the crossfire." At this, Kay actually looked remorseful. "He died. Why the interest?"

Willow opened the door and shook her head. "It's nothing. Good night, Kay."

"Night." Kay watched her go, then picked up Maria and held her close to her chest.


	7. Chapter Seven: Skating Pond Again

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** Here is the chapter for Buffy and Sheridan…hope you enjoy!

**DISCLAIMER** I don't own anyone, I'm just playing around for fun.

…

"Sheridan, I have an odd question."

"Shoot," Sheridan said.

Buffy sighed. "Uh, do a lot of weird things happen in your town?"

Sheridan actually stopped skating to look at her. "What do you mean?"

Also stopped, Buffy turned around. "I mean, uh, anything, like, magical ever happen around here?"

Sheridan almost seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. She nodded. "Yeah. It does. We don't really talk about it, but there has been some really strange stuff to happen in Harmony."

Buffy laughed. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. The town I lived in was like that too. We didn't talk about it, but we had it all."

The two women started skating again. "It all?" Sheridan repeated.

"Oh yeah. Witches, vampires, zombies, you name it, Sunnydale had it." Buffy smiled. "You know, as crazy as it was, there are times when I miss it there."

Sheridan smiled too. "Was your family there?"

"Oh yeah. I lived with my mom and my little sister."

"Where are they now?"

Buffy looked down at the ice. "Dawn's in Europe, visiting my, uh, my friend Giles."

"And your mom's there too?"

_No tears_, Buffy told herself sternly. _Sheridan doesn't need to see tears._ "No. My mom died a couple years ago."

Sheridan's voice was quiet. "So did mine." She took a deep breath. "When I was little, actually. She was there when I went to bed one night and the next morning, gone." She sighed.

"Wow." Buffy looked at Sheridan uncomfortably. "That sucks."

"Yeah." Sheridan tried to make light of the situation. "But I was sent to Europe right after, which was an interesting way to grow up."

Buffy laughed nervously. "I bet."

"You were right though," Sheridan added. "It did suck."

They laughed. "I'm sorry to bring up memories," Buffy said. "I know how painful it is thinking about my mother. There have been so many times since she died that I needed her so badly to hug me and tell me that everything would be all right. And taking care of Dawn all by myself…" She sighed. "You have no idea how hard it's been on my own."

Sheridan smiled ruefully and shook her head. "Right there with you. You know," she said hesitantly. "There are times that I still feel like she's watching over me. Like she's still alive out there somewhere." She hid her blush.

Buffy gave her a moment. "So," she finally said. "What's up with Captain Planet over there?" she asked, motioning to where Luis watched them skate with a sour expression. "He doesn't seem to like me all that much. I mean, I know there's the whole warrant thing that he hasn't gotten used to, but I'm really a nice girl!"

Laughing, Sheridan put her arm around Buffy's shoulders. "Don't worry about Luis. He just likes to protect me."

"Well I get that, but he's really overwrought."

Sheridan smiled at Luis and received a hesitant one in reply. "My father and brother have tried to kill me multiple times." She shrugged. "After a couple attempted murders, one tends to get a little overwrought."

"Attempted murders?"

Sheridan dropped her arm and led Buffy over to a bench. "Come on. This is a sit down talk." Buffy followed curiously. "My father is, uh, evil actually. And for a long time my brother Julian was his puppet. They thought I was a liability to their empire and all of Father's secrets, so they tried to have me killed, several times."

Buffy only listened, her mouth agape, as Sheridan talked of her father and brother's numerous plots against her. "How can you just sit here and talk so calmly about your own family trying to kill you? I mean, I've had many, _many_ people try to kill me over the years and two of them actually succeeded – "

"Huh?" Sheridan interrupted.

Smirking, Buffy just waved a hand. "Never mind. The point is, my own family or friends would never try to kill me!" She cocked her head. "Well, except that one time that my boyfriend went evil and tried to suck the world into Hell. And that time when my friend Faith tried to gut me. And when Willow tried to destroy the world." She blushed. "Never mind again."

Sheridan laughed again and was about to say something further when Luis appeared over her shoulder. "Hey Sheridan, we should get going." He shot a glare at Buffy. "We don't want to be late."

"Oh, yeah! Sorry. I guess we just lost track of time," Sheridan replied, smiling.

"Yeah, I noticed." Luis continued to glare at Buffy, who returned the hard look. He helped Sheridan to her feet. "Let's go return those skates."

Sheridan nodded. "Okay." She turned back to Buffy. "I don't know if you're religious or anything, but we have this tradition in Harmony for everyone to gather at the church for Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. The whole town is there and it's always a spiritual event. You're welcome to come if you want."

Buffy smiled. "Thanks. I'll have to talk to my friends, but maybe I will."

"Great!"

"Sheridan, let's go!" Luis prodded. Sheridan waved goodbye as Luis forcefully led her away. Buffy waved back, then was left by herself on the bench.

Across the pond, she saw Xander watching a little boy with his blonde mother and dark-haired father. Unfortunately for the blonde, her husband seemed far more interested in watching a dark-haired woman quietly leave the park. Buffy hopped to her feet and skated across to meet up with her friend.

"Whatcha looking at?" she asked when she reached his side.

"Ah, nothing." Xander motioned to the little family. "Just my new friend Ethan and his family. They have issues."

Buffy laughed. "Everyone in this town has issues, Xand. What's up with them?"

"Ethan is married to Gwen there, but he's in love with another woman and he's caught between the two."

Buffy was quiet. "At least no impaling on metal rods this time, right?"

Xander shot her a one-eyed glance. "Yeah, right. I don't know, Buff. Thinking about Anya takes up most of my life, but ever since I got that call from Angel…I miss her so much."

Putting a hand on his arm, Buffy said, "We all do." She gently steered him away from the family. "Come on. Let's go."


	8. Chapter Eight: Bennett Living Room

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** Almost done guys! Thanks to those of you who review, your thoughts mean a lot to me!

**DISCLAIMER** Don't own them…just messing with them a little, lol.

…

Buffy and Xander quietly let themselves into the Bed and Breakfast, careful not to wake anyone inside. They were surprised to find that no one was at home, including Willow. "Wonder where she went?" Buffy asked.

Xander shrugged. "Probably off hunting her Good Witch of the North. Or something."

"Ah." Buffy flopped down on the couch. "You know, I bet everyone's at Midnight Mass. Sheridan mentioned that it's a huge deal here."

"Who's Sheridan?"

Buffy and Xander were surprised when Willow emerged from the top of the stairs. "Will, we didn't think you were here!" Xander said.

"Oh, I, uh, I was lying down. I had an interesting talk with the girl next door and it drained me." She smiled wanly.

With a concerned look, Buffy asked, "Are you okay? What happened?"

Willow joined her on the couch and leaned her head back tiredly. "Well I went over there to investigate, because there is power over there more powerful than I've felt in a long time. So I met the neighbor Tabitha that Ivy told us about. She has a daughter, Endora, who is only a toddler but is even more powerful than me. I mean, than I was when…" She stopped talking.

"Tabitha and Endora?" Xander asked, trying to lighten the mood. "_Bewitched_ much?"

Willow smiled sadly before she continued. "Endora isn't a threat, not yet anyway. But there is this other girl there, Kay. She's Chief Bennett's daughter actually. She has a baby too, a little girl named Maria. She's done stuff. Horrible stuff to her cousin Charity. Charity was a good witch and she used to live in this house. That's what I sensed here." Willow's lip trembled. "I came here searching for good and found more evil."

Buffy sat up and put her arm around her best friend. "Just because the good witch of Harmony left town does not mean anything! Are you forgetting all the good that you've done since then? Will, you are not dark anymore."

Willow nodded miserably. "I suppose so. You never answered my question, though. Who's Sheridan?"

"Oh, Sheridan is Detective Lopez-Fitzgerald's fiancé. She and I had a little heart-to-heart at the park."

"Are you sure that that's a good idea?" Willow asked. "We don't need Detective Lopez-Fitzgerald watching us any closer than he already is. He won't let Xander drive, he thinks you're a murderer, and it's only a matter of time before he finds out that I am too."

Xander knelt down in front of Willow on the couch. "Will, you have to stop. You are not a murderer. Dark Willow, maybe, yeah. But you aren't her anymore, remember?" He flashed her a half-smile. "Do I need to pull out the yellow crayon speech again?"

Willow smiled slightly. "No, no yellow crayon."

Xander patted her knee. "Good. Look, as soon as you find whoever you're looking for, we can blow this town and go back…" He paused. "Home."

They were silent, for they knew that they weren't ever going home again. Home was Sunnydale and home was gone.

Willow finally sighed. "I don't know. I think what I sense here is the residue of Charity's power, but I can't be sure. There may still be someone else in town. I wish I could just inspect everyone."

"We can go to Midnight Mass!" Buffy piped up.

Xander and Willow shared a look. "Uh, Buffy, if you're all into the religion thing, then – "

"No!" Buffy cut Willow off. "Sheridan told me that everyone in town goes to the Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. You can see everyone there, then we can go, uh, back to Europe."

Xander and Willow shared another look. "Sure," Xander said. "It's worth a shot, isn't it?"

"I guess." Willow stood up. "Anyone have anything to pack up?" she asked.

Buffy gave her a look. "Will, we've been here less than 12 hours."

"Oh yeah." Willow blushed. "Hey, guys, I'm sorry that I dragged you all the way back to the US just for a couple hours of investigation."

Buffy shrugged. "No big. We got the Council: The New Generation to pay for it and it was a nice little vacation." She grinned. "No demons, no apocalypse, no nothing." Suddenly, she frowned and tapped on the Bennett's coffee table. "Knock on wood."

Xander laughed. "Here here!"

Buffy sighed and threw herself to her feet. "Better get going then. We can go to Midnight Mass and then grab the car from the police station and sneak out while everyone is in church."

Xander mock-glared. "Sneaking out while they're in church? Buffy, I'm shocked!"

Buffy just shrugged and grinned. "I'm a sneaky kinda gal. Must have been all those years of sneaking out of my house in the dead of night to go kill things."

"Must have been." Xander turned to Willow. "You game?"

Willow too stood up. "Lead the way!"

Xander grinned and allowed the two girls to link arms with him. Together they went upstairs to gather their things. Softly, Buffy's voice floated down the stairs. "Wait, do we have to lug our stuff all the way over to the church?"


	9. Chapter Nine: St Margaret Mary's Church ...

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** Hey guys, as shown in this chapter, I am an Ethan/Theresa fan as well as a Xander/Cordy fan as opposed to a Xander/Anya fan. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter! There's only one more! Thanks for reviewing.

**DISCLAIMER** Don't own em.

…

Saint Margaret Mary's Church stood alone in a tall pine forest. Buffy, Willow, and Xander emerged quietly from the woods. "Let's leave our stuff here," Buffy whispered. Her friends quickly agreed and dropped their bags in the snow.

They quickly joined the crowd of people gathered in front of the church. Sheridan had been right. It looked like all of Harmony really had come out for the service. Buffy and Xander stood awkwardly silent as Willow scanned the crowd. "Anything?" Buffy asked.

Willow screwed up her face in concentration. "Something really faint." She headed off in the direction of the church's graveyard.

"Oh great," Buffy mumbled as they entered the cemetery. "Home sweet home."

Willow led them to the corner of the cemetery, where a small grave was shrouded by dark trees. Gently etched into the granite was the name "Timmy Lenox."

"This is where it's coming from," Willow said after a moment of silence. "That's why it's so faint. That's it then. There's no one here anymore, except Tabitha and her daughter."

"What are you doing here?" came a voice behind them.

Willow whirled around to see Kay standing behind them, holding Maria. "Kay. I didn't expect to see you at Midnight Mass."

Kay shifted Maria to the other hip nervously. "Yeah, well, I didn't expect to see you either. What's a witch doing at church?"

Willow put her hands on her hips haughtily. "For your information, I wouldn't be at church anyway because I'm Jewish. I'm here looking for the source of the power that I've been feeling."

Kay's eyes flickered over to where Buffy and Xander watched them. "And did you find it?"

Motioning to the small stone behind her, Willow just nodded. "Some of it was in the house from your cousin Charity. And some of it was from Timmy."

With a small laugh, Kay said, "So I was right. Timmy had that power too, huh?"

Willow nodded again. Buffy spoke up. "Who was Timmy?"

It was Willow who answered. "You remember Sid?"

"The dummy?"

"Yeah. Timmy was a doll that Tabitha, Sam's neighbor, brought to life. He became a real boy just in time to be killed." She glanced at Kay, who looked at the ground in shame. "Anyway, this was the last bit of energy I sensed here. There's no one else in the town."

"So we can go?" Xander asked.

Willow nodded. "We can go."

Buffy turned her gaze back to the crowd of people milling around the church. "I'm just gonna, uh, go say goodbye to some people. Will, I'll catch up with you, okay?"

"Sure."

Xander too turned to leave. "Same here. Just want to make sure that no one's watching when we make our big getaway."

Kay looked at Willow curiously when they were left alone. "What did he mean?"

"Oh nothing," Willow said nervously. She and Kay stood in silence for a minute or two.

"Where're you going?" Kay finally asked.

"Europe," Willow replied. "That's where we live."

Kay looked at her closely. "You don't sound European."

She sighed. "We're not. We're from Sunnydale, California." Her expression sobered quickly. "Or, we were."

"Oh." Kay looked back at the ground. "Something happened, didn't it? I mean, you guys didn't just move away."

Staring Kay in the eye, Willow replied. "It was magic. Dark magic that swallowed the entire town of Sunnydale. There's nothing left there except a crater. I'm leaving Harmony and never coming back, Kay. Whatever you do with your life is up to you. But if you abuse magic – if you let it take you over and you use it to hurt people – I will come back and I will stop you." The redhead's eyes were stony. "I promise."

Kay didn't flinch under Willow's gaze. "You don't have to worry about me. All I'm trying to do is keep the man of my dreams by my side. I would never do anything dark."

'That's what I said,' Willow thought. But she only sighed and patted Maria's head. "Goodbye, Kay."

"Goodbye." Willow smiled as she left and Kay smiled back.

Xander saw Ethan and his family about to enter the church and jogged up to them. His blonde wife turned around and stared openly at him. "Can I help you?" she asked as she held the little boy close.

"Gwen, honey, it's okay." Ethan put a hand on her arm. "This is Xander. I met him earlier."

Gwen looked Xander up and down, focused on the eye patch quickly and nodded curtly. "Nice to meet you," she said before taking the boy in to the church.

"Sorry about that," Ethan apologized. "You do look a little fearsome in that eye patch, though. Why do you wear it anyway?"

Xander looked at him like he was sincerely stupid. "Why do you think?"

Ethan had the good sense to blush and stammer, "I'm sorry. I just wasn't sure if you wore it for some other reason or something."

"Nope. Just an unfortunate accident." Xander sighed. "So that was your wife, huh?" Ethan nodded. "Where's Theresa?"

"Oh, she's over – " Ethan started to point toward where Theresa waited with her mother, but stopped and looked at Xander crossly. "I know what you're doing."

Xander just looked innocent. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you're trying to make me admit that I have feelings for Theresa, just like everyone else in this damn town. I don't. I only love – "

Xander cut him off. "I only love my wife, blah, blah, blah. Look Ethan, I don't know anything about you or Gwen or Theresa or this whole town, but I do know something about being caught between women."

Ethan just glared at him. "Oh really."

"Yes, really. I watched the woman I loved fall through a floor and be impaled by a metal pipe. And you know what the worst part was?" Ethan shook his head. "The worst part was that she fell because she caught me with someone else…someone who didn't mean nearly as much to me."

"Yeah, well, looks like you made a mistake. But I'm not! I'm with the woman I love."

Xander laughed. "You keep telling yourself that. But you know something else? That woman, my beautiful Cordelia, who I may still be with if I wasn't so damn stupid, is dead now. She's gone forever. And yeah, I found someone else to love after Cordelia left me, but she's dead now too. There are a lot of things that I regret about my life, but there is _nothing _that I regret more than hurting Cordelia and losing her."

Ethan looked unmoved. "I don't understand what any of this has to do with me."

Throwing his hands up in the air, Xander just said, "I give up. All I'm saying is that if you ever figure out which one you really, truly love and you let her go, you will regret it for the rest of your life. Don't be with someone just because you think it's the right thing to do."

That finally seemed to get through to Ethan. Xander smiled and stuck out his hand. "It was nice to meet you, Ethan. Good luck with everything."

Ethan shook his hand. "Are you leaving?"

"Yeah. It's time for my friends and I to head on home. We don't belong in Harmony."

"Well thanks for…for everything," Ethan said. "I really did hear what you said."

Xander nodded. "I'm glad. I hope everything works out for you."

"Me too." Ethan smiled and turned around to disappear into the church.


	10. Chapter Ten: St Margaret Mary's

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** This is it! So…this story didn't really have a plot of any kind, but oh well. And I loved the Christmas Eve 2004 Mass episode, where Paloma and Pilar reconciled for at least one night and everyone put aside their grudges. And Theresa got to hug her little boy again (I HATE Gwen and hate the fact that she's with Ethan and that she took Little Ethan away and everything. LoL.) Thanks everyone for reading!

**DISCLAIMER** Don't own 'em and as for this story, I'm done messing with them too.

…

"Buffy!" Buffy turned around when she heard her name. Sheridan waved from behind her and walked to her side. "I wasn't sure you were coming."

"Oh, we're not staying. Actually I just stopped by to say good-bye," Buffy said.

Sheridan's face fell. "Oh. Well, I enjoyed talking with you before."

Buffy nodded, smiling sadly. "It's nice to meet someone who understands what it was like to lose my mom. My friends are great, but they don't really get it like you do."

Sheridan impulsively pulled Buffy into a hug, which the Slayer returned. "Thank you too! You've been so great to talk to."

When they broke apart, Buffy smiled and said, "You know what? I bet our moms are together somewhere and they're looking at us right now."

Tears shone in Sheridan's eyes. "What do you think they're saying?"

Buffy thought for a minute. "I bet they're saying that we're lucky to have met, since we have so much in common."

Taking both of Buffy's hands in hers, Sheridan nodded. "We do. And I hope somewhere both of our mothers are happy that we're here."

Buffy hugged Sheridan again. Neither one of them noticed an auburn-haired woman, known to Harmony as Mrs. Wheeler, watching them wistfully from the church doors. "I hope everything goes well for you and Luis. Let me know when you guys get married."

"Of course!" Sheridan grinned. "How will I be able to contact you?"

"Just get in touch with a Mr. Rupert Giles in London. I'll get the message."

"Okay." Sheridan noticed a redheaded woman and a man with an eye patch come up behind them. "I think your friends are here."

Buffy turned around quickly and faced Sheridan again. "We have to go. Say goodbye to Luis for me," she said with a wink.

Laughing, Sheridan said, "I will. Goodbye Buffy."

"Goodbye."

Sheridan turned and she and Luis went into the church. Buffy watched them go and turned back to her friends. "Hey guys. You ready?"

"All set!" Willow said. She watched as all the citizens of Harmony filed quietly and devoutly into the tall granite sanctuary for Mass. "Look at them. This town has seen a lot of battles between good and evil powers, but there they go, all together, for church on Christmas Eve."

Xander put one arm around her and the other around Buffy. The three of them watched as the last Harmony residents – Ivy Winthrop, accompanied by Sam Bennett and a young woman they assumed to be his daughter – entered the church. A blind priest came to the door and seemed to look at them standing alone in the churchyard. "I know that you are new to Harmony. If you will not come in to worship with us, let God be with you wherever you go."

"Thank you, Father," Buffy replied.

He smiled and closed the doors of Saint Margaret Mary's behind him. Buffy looked up and smiled at Xander. "You ready to go?"

"Absolutely. I hope everyone here gets their lives together." Xander smiled sadly. "Too bad we won't be here to see it."

The three of them trudged back to the woods and picked up their bags. They headed down the road toward the police station. Softly, their voices floated back through the trees and rang in the empty yard. "We can always come back, you know," Willow said.

"Of course we can." Xander's laugh grew softer and softer. "I for one want to see what happens in that great love triangle I stumbled into the middle of."

Buffy's was the last to be heard. "Anyone up for Cleveland? After dealing with Harmony, I feel like a little Hellmouth action. You know, for old time's sake. Faith would be so happy to see us, too." The core Scooby Gang's laughter melted into the dark New England woods. Later that Christmas Eve night, as the residents of Harmony let their various grudges go for a night of good will, a car drove away from the Harmony Police Department and headed for Ohio.


End file.
